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Mrs. Parsons was talkative. The
story got about the village and much
criticism- of Haynes was expressed.
His patients fell away, though the
old doctor Was an ignoramus and
had killed as many people as he had
cured. At length it w"as bruited'
about that Haynes was leaving Bish
opsville. Grimly the neighbors watehed his
household possessions carted away
to the depot Haynes went to board
at the' hotel for a week, until he had
finished attending those patients who
still claimed him. He would take no
' new ones, he gave out.
But this plan went agley, for, while
the banker was absent in New York
Mrs. Parsons was taken seriously ill
and Dr. Haynes received ah impera
tive. calL It was a case which he
could not have refused, apart from
.Gladys' urgent pleading over the
wire.
The illness, which was short,
'proved a desperate one nevertheless.
The doctor and Gladys were thrown
constantly together. The girl proyed
an admirable nurse, never leaving the
sick room for more than a few mo
ments for three days and nights.
Her mother was pronounbed out
of danger before Gladys even thought
of the intimacy that seemed- sudden
ly ,to have been restored between
them. And on- the fourth day Mr.
Parsons came home. The telegram
had followed him from city to city;
finally catching him in Pennsylvania.
He brought with him a' chauffeur,
a young, spectacled man,, whom he
at once installed in the house. And,
hurrying to his wife's bedside, he
found her already- convalescent
Two days passed; then Haynes an
nounced that the crisis was well past,
and that his further attendance would
not be necessary. The 'banker was
then at his wife's bedside; Gladys
was out of the room, and as Haynes
started to leave the banker motioned
to him to be seated.
"We cant let you jgq fjom, jia like
this," he said. "JVon't you make us
an explanation?" '
"Of what?" asked Haynes quietly.
"Of your friendship for us, and its
sudden cessation." (
"I have nothing to explain," said
Haynes, striving to retain his self
possession.
"Then I will explain," the banker
answered,' and at that moment his.
daughter entered. "Gladys, please sit
down," he continued. "What I am
going to say is painful but it is ne
cessary. Doctor Haynes', I may say
that, having seen your university
certificateMn ypur office I followed
that clue and discovered certain
facts."
Haynes, ghastly white, remained
leaning against the door, watching
the banker with an inscrutable ex
pression. "You were operating surgeon in a
New York hospital two, years ago,"
continued Mr. Parsons. "One day
you had the duty of removing a pa
tient's eye. When the bandages
were taken off it was found that the
sightless eye was left, the good eye
removed."
Haynes bowed bis head; the look
of utter dejection was pitiable. But
he never spoke.
"You gave up your practice," con
tinued Mr. Parsons. "You turned
over all your savings to the man
whom you considered you had
wronged. You wrote him a letter
stating that you meant to pay him
a fixed sum every month for the
remainder of your life. All thiTwas
highly creditable to you."
"Well?" queried Haynes, raising
his head and looking the banker in
the face for the first time. "It has
happened to other surgeons; it might
have happened to any. Yes, all that
you have said is true. I never knew
how' I had come to make the blunder.
But I left New York and came to
this little village, hoping to forget
the past and live it down at least,
though I knew I could never forget."